Looking forward...

What do you look forwards to? Anything? Nothing? Lots of things? An interesting question, perhaps, for nihilists. I don't look forward to many things, but I definitely have a few. Tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine.

What do you look forwards to? Anything? Nothing? Lots of things? An interesting question, perhaps, for nihilists. I don't look forward to many things, but I definitely have a few. Tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine.

Climbing more mountains. I've found this to be extremely rewarding in so many ways, so I look forward to seeing more of the heights and challenging myself further.

On a more material level, I'm also looking forward to building on my home.

I had an idea to create something beautiful which helps mankind. If not that then simply living out the days, appreciating each one. The summers, the winters. There's a first and last time for everything.

I look forward to not looking forward to anything. I'd rather have something to do that *needs* doing rather than just fulfill my own desires. I'm not quite a hedonist but my decisions bring me dangerously close.

On the other hand, I can see myself comforably getting old and never doing anything that others consider needful, if that makes sense. If not then think on this; who can really tell me what *needs* doing? No one can, not even my self, because then it's just a desire.

If not then think on this; who can really tell me what *needs* doing? No one can, not even my self, because then it's just a desire.

What needs doing depends entirely upon your circumstances. Often it has no connection with desire. I had a 120' high fir tree, split at about eight feet from the base so that two trunks grew from one root system. A south-easterly windstorm ripped one trunk from the other - which fell, fortunately, away from my house - so the remaining one was missing two thirds of its width, all splintered and ruined. The tree stood about eighty feet from the house, to the northwest, which is where the majority of high winds come from. An accident just waiting to happen.

Now, I never desire to cut live trees. Nor do I desire to spend money on tree-men to take trees down that I could probably take down myself. But this one was something that seemed far enough beyond my logging capabilities that I would have to engage professionals to do it. Which I did. They were not thrilled about climbing this very dangerous tree, to top it, and drop it in sections. They did not desire the job. I did not desire to have them do it. The tree - I imagine - did not desire to be killed. But this was a case of obvious need. The tree, or my roof.

Is that desire? Or is it need?

Desire, to me, would seem to be a wish to do something, or have something, or experience something, that would seem to be preferable to not doing, having, or experiencing it. But not remotely essential. Whereas a need implies something essential.